ThanksUSA

Anthony Kearns Tribute to U.S. Military Families

WASHINGTON, D.C. — ThanksUSA, a non-partisan, charitable effort founded in 2005 to provide educational scholarships to family members of U.S. active duty military personnel, hosted a “Celebration of Irish Spirits for Charity,” on Saturday, March 20, 2010 featuring a performance by Anthony Kearns of The Irish Tenors.

“We were very pleased to host this event which underscored the sacrifices of our troops around the world and what we can do to make their lives easier through the gift of education for their families,” said B. Robert Okun, president and CEO of the organization. “We’d like to thank our sponsors and guests, and in particular, Anthony Kearns and his accompanist, Patrick Healy, for making it a night to remember.”

Patrick Healy & Anthony Kearns

The performance by Kearns and Healy featured a range of songs, from “Granada” (Agustin Lara), to the classic “Danny Boy” and “Empty Table, Empty Chairs,” from the musical Les Miserable. Their repertoire also included more light-hearted standards such as “Friendship,” about an aging tenor and younger tenor, and the Irish ditty, “McBreen’s Heifer.” A memorable moment was Kearns’ dedication of “Ave Maria” (Bach/ Gounod) to those injured in combat.

Kearns’ finale was a stirring rendition of “God Bless America,” which he dedicated to the military men and women who are defending freedom around the globe. “The strength, fortitude, and resilience demonstrated by the armed forces is truly inspiring. I’m honored and gratified to help raise the profile and awareness of this worthy cause,” Kearns said.

Anthony Kearns sings God Bless America with Rachel Okun

Applications for this year’s ThanksUSA scholarships will be accepted from April 1 through May 15, 2010. The need-based scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis to family members of active-duty military personnel who plan to pursue a post-secondary education, including vocational and technical training. Interested applicants can find eligibility requirements at http://www.ThanksUSA.org.

The event was held at the private residence of David and Elizabeth McDaniel of McLean, Virginia. It was generously supported by the Distilled Spirits Council, J. Gilbert’s Restaurant, Kirsten Fedewa & Associates, L.L.C., the National Beer Wholesalers Association, Silver Bullet Solutions, Inc., and others. Photos courtesy of Kirsten Fedewa & Associates, L.L.C. with thanks to Siobhan Mueller. ThanksUSA is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit foundation incorporated in Washington D.C.